Financial markets - cliënt update
knowledge transfer
Rabo DealAssist -
Real Time Efficiency
16 What'sNewS Issue 7-July 1999
After some experimentation with
format, global financial markets
(GFM) seems to have come up with
the right formula for updating clients
on developments and trends. Around
60 senior managers from Holland's
major corporates attended the
seminar-style event in Utrecht.
The balanced mix of knowledge
transfer and knowledge-driven
marketing was so successful that
GFM plans to turn the business
seminar into an annual event.
Long Term Interest Rates (10Y) and EM Next Twelve Months
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Client advantage
Busy managers need tailored
information and they need to have
it packaged in aecessihle and useful
form. This was clearly the thinking
behind the afternoon program which
managed to cram a wealth of know-how
and product marketing into a four-hour
session. 'From the cliënt response,'
remarks head of financial markets
research Bernard Walschots, 'it seems they
appreciated the variety.' This special mix
enabled Rabobank International (RI) to
demonstrate our expertise and insight into
changes and trends in global financial
markets. 'Basically,' Walschots explains,
'we're talking knowledge transfer here.'
What seminars of this kind offer clients is
a share in our specialized knowledge of
the state of play in particular areas that
could impact their business. But we also
give them our take on future
were explored by Lee Ferridge who heads
up currency strategy. Product specialists
explained how customers can gain most
advantage from various instruments. STIR
products in treasury management (Eric
Robertson and Pablo Vergara), the lastest
i
ca
developments. This transfer is valued
highly and the interaction and dialogue it
can generate with clients can be rewarding
for both parties.
In-depth presentations on general trends
in GFM came from Walschots, including
RI's view of emerging markets' risk pro
files, and developments in G3 currencies
developments in cross currency trading
(Richard Class) and FX hedging using FX
options (Bas Dijkman) were all part of the
program. A special slot was also reserved
for a presentation on the Rabo DealAssist
system (see sidebar).
Ifyou would like more information on
any of the presentations, contact Therese
van Doeveren on +31 0)30 216 1133 or
send an email.
It all started with a product developed
by our treasury people specifkally for
the member banks. This new product al-
lowed the member bank to carry out
their own electronic foreign exchange
and money market transactions with
real time efficiency. Rabo DealAssist has
since been adapted for corporate use
and was launched onto the Dutch busi
ness market in late 1998. 'The seminar
was an ideal opportunity to market this
product,' says Mare Baseliers, sales
manager for Rabo DealAssist. Through
a real time presentation, Baseliers was
able to show participants exactly what
the product could offer them in terms of
transactional and research support. 'You
can use it for both foreign exchange and
money market transactions,' he ex
plains. Decisions on transactions are
based on actual and historie financial in
formation available through the re
search module that forrns the counter
part to the transactional system. 'It can
already increase significantly the effi
ciency of corporate treasury activity.
We're now working on additional prod
ucts that could complement the basic
system. As part of that path, we're also
in the process of developing a web-
browsed version.'
Baseliers was more than pleased with
the cliënt response at the seminar.
'Around 20 percent of the clients
present there expressed real interest,' he
says. 'We're now following up these
contacts as well as marketing the
product to colleagues in relationship
management so that they can add Rabo
DealAssist to the range they have to
offer their clients.' The only downside,
and according to Baseliers 'we are
working on this very hard', is that the
product is currently only available in the
Netherlands. 'There is a lot of interest
around the network,' he confirms.
'We're hoping to roll out in Belgium in
the not too distant future and work is
on going on the technical adjustments
that would enable our people around
the world to offer this great product to
their customers.' For more information
on Rabo DealAssist, contact Mare
Baseliers on +31 (0)30 216 18 19, or
send an email.
